Thill-coupling



(No Model.)

'J. B. PINK.

THILLf COUPLING.

No. 368,143. Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC JOHN B. FINK, OF SCHNECKSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA,

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,143, dated August 9, 1887.

Application filed March 9, 1887.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN B. FINK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Schnecksville, in the county of Lehigh and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Springs for Shaft Couplings; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of myinvention and is a top view of the same. Fig. 2 is a verticallongitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the spring.

My invention relates to springs for thillcouplings or shaft-couplings; and it consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A designates the clip, which is of the ordinary construction, and is secured in place by the clip-bar B and nuts 0 O.

D E are the forwardly-extending lugs, and F is the thilLiron, the eye, J, of which is secured between the lugs 1) E by the usual bolt, G, and nut H.

I is a flat spring, which is bent to form the transverse eye K, its curved arms L M diverg ing from the eye K, extending forward therefrom, and normally bearing away from each other.

The rear arm, M, of the spring is recessed or made concave in its lower edge to engage the upper face of the front end of the clip-bar B and prevent it from slipping thereon. The distance between the clip ears or lugs and the width of the springIare each greater than the width of the clip-bar, so that when the rear arm of the spring is seated on said bar its edges project outward from the sides thereof. The lower part of the front arin,L,is bent vertically downward, as seen at L, for a specific purpose, as hereinafter explained.

To put the spring in place, its eye K is grasped by a strong pair of pinchers and the ends of the arms M and L pressed against each other, so that the vertically'bent end L is Serial No. 230,276. (No model.)

brought close enough to the end of the arm M to pass between the point of nearest approximation of the clip and thill-iron eye. \Vhen past said point the thill-spring is released and a few taps with a hammer on its eye drives it inward till the end of the arm M engages on the thillbar. The end L then projects downward below the thill-iron eye. To remove the spring, its ends L and a corner of the arm M on one of the thill-bars are grasped and pressed together by a pair of pinchers. The spring can then easily be drawn downward from its seat.

It is evident that if the curve of the arm L were continued downward and outward it could not be seated in the manner described, as the lower edge of the arm L would catch and hold on the thill-iron eye and the spring would spread under the hammer.

It is also evident that if the spring were not wider than the thill -bar and had not the downwardly-projecting part L it could not be grasped by the pinchers and drawn downward from its seat. The spring can thus be readily inserted and removed without disengaging the thill-iron. These springs prevent rattling of the parts and at the same time permit the thills to accommodate themselves to the motion of the horse. Furthermore,should the nut come loose, the spring will bear against the eye of the thill-iron and retain the bolt in its seat.

Having described this invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a thill-coupling, a bent clip-bar provided with a front leg curved to fit against the rear surface of the thill-eye and beyond said curved portion, projecting downward, and a rear leg-bearing against the clip-strap and having a notch in the end that rides upon the projecting front end of the clipbar, so that the end parts of said leg project both out wardly and downwardly from said bar, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. FINK.

Witnesses:

ORLAND W. OLD, LEWIS S. BEAR. 

